Today, the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) demanded reform of the travel industry with the goal of resolving purported inconsistencies in the industry and emphasising discipline and lower plane ticket rates.
“At a press briefing here, ATAB President Abdus Salam Aref stated that guidelines for group air ticketing are necessary to prevent hoarding and syndication in air ticket sales.”
Speaking on the occasion, he presented a press briefing with a 9-point demand meant to solve the issues facing the business.
The soaring cost of airline tickets, according to the ATAB president, is partially caused by people stockpiling tickets under the pretence of making group reservations. These groups aren’t actual ones. It’s a ploy to raise prices,” he continued.
Aref alleged that certain airlines, in collaboration with certain group of travel agents, are manipulating the system due to the absence of a policy on group ticketing.
He claimed that many individuals are selling tickets without being registered with the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism (MOCAT), exacerbating the problem.
“Some businesses are collecting payments from customers for tickets and then disappearing. The authorities must take action against these irregularities,” Aref said.ATAB’s 9-point demand includes formulation of proper regulations for online travel agencies (OTAs), ending hoarding and syndication in air ticket sales, and making it mandatory for ticket information to include the agency’s name, contact number and price.
“It should be made mandatory to mention the agency’s name, contact phone number, and the price on the ticket,” he said adding that foreign websites and APIs must be blocked from illegally operating businesses in Bangladesh.
“It is essential that OTAs are prevented from providing login IDs to unlicensed travel agents, tour operators, or establishments. This should be strictly monitored,” Aref said.He called for measures to prevent passengers with tickets purchased from third countries, such as India, Dubai, and Singapore, from boarding flights in Bangladesh, as this would stop the outflow of money and curb ticket sales from those countries.He demanded to check practice of offering incentives for large advance payments on tickets.“We have discussed these issues with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and provided our recommendations. If these matters are not addressed, there will be no discipline in the sector,” Aref warned. He was hoping the administration would give ATAB’s issues some serious thought. “It is our duty to highlight the irregularities, but it is the government’s responsibility to take corrective action,” he stated.
Among those present at the briefing were ATAB General Secretary Afsia Jannat Saleh, Vice-Presidents Mustafizur Rahman Hero and Mohammad Ziaur Rahman Khan Nawaz, and Joint Secretary Atikur Rahman.
